Study Finds Spokane Needs 44 More Police Officers

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — The Spokane Police Department needs another 44 officers on the streets in order to split its time evenly between taking calls for help and patrolling beats.

That's according to a new study shared with City Hall on Monday.

The Spokesman-Review says having 44 more police officers on the payroll would cost the city up to $5.5 million in salary and benefits.

The report analyzed the amount of time Spokane officers spent responding to calls versus "proactive" policing, including walking beats and patrolling high-crime areas, in a three-year period from 2013 to 2015.

The report found that the 44 additional personnel would allow officers on the street to evenly split their time responding to crime as well as suppressing it, a standard that's been used in other cities.